Where a golf club swing is correct or "true", the direction of the instantaneous velocity (i.e., tangential velocity) of the head of the golf club at its point of impact with a golf ball coincides with the golfer's aim line. Upon making a true swing, the golf ball caroms off of the face of the club at an angle matching the loft angle of the club. Upon impact of such club face upon the golf ball, rotation about a horizontal axis, or back spin, is imposed upon the golf ball. Because golf balls typically are dimpled, such back spin beneficially provides lift and extra flight distance without curving the ball's flight leftward or rightward from the aim line.
In order for the direction of the instantaneous velocity to be consistent with a golfer's aim line, both the aim line and the arced path of the club head prior to meeting the golf ball must lie within a single plane. Where the aim line intersects such plane, the direction of the instantaneous velocity of the club head at the point of impact with the golf ball will deviate either rightward or leftward of the aim line. Such deviation of the instantaneous velocity tends to push or pull the ball away from the aim line, and tends to tilt the axis of rotation of the golf ball, causing the ball to curve rightward or leftward. Such out of plane golf swings are known as "hook" swings or "slice" swings, as opposed to a true swing. Assuming a right-handed swing, hook swings tilt the axis of rotation of the golf ball counter-clockwise resulting in leftward flight deviation, and slice swings tilt the axis of rotation clockwise, resulting in rightward flight deviation. "Grooving" a golfer's swing so that the arced path of the club head lies in a plane which contains, rather than intersects, the aim line is a key challenge of the game. Several types of golf swing training apparatus are known; such apparatus actually or ostensibly serving the function of promoting "muscle memory" which urges a golfer's shoulders, arms, hands and club to swing in unison within a correct plane. One such type of known golf swing training apparatus is a ring trainer, which includes a large ring for guiding the shaft of a golf club as a golfer swings the club through an arc to meet the golf ball or golf tee. Such ring trainers are exemplified by apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,993 issued Nov. 21, 1995 to Higginson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,545 issued Jan. 21, 1997 to O'Brien; U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,932 issued Oct. 6, 1998 to Alexander; U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,548 issued Jun. 13, 1995 to Bricker; U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,275 issued Aug. 15, 1995 to Woshishita; U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,367 issued Jul. 4, 1995 to Amos; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,974 issued Aug. 21, 1990 to Bellagamba. Such known golf swing trainers incorporating a club guide ring are mechanically complex, are uneconomically fabricated, are difficult to assemble and disassemble, and cannot be efficiently configured for storage or passage through doorways.
The instant invention solves the above problems by providing a golf swing training apparatus including club guiding ring; such apparatus being mechanically simple, being economically fabricated, being easily assembled and disassembled, and such apparatus being easily configured for storage or for passage through doorways.